Quantcast – a Risk.net Cutting Edge podcast Kihun Nam, Risk Quantcast
Dec 5, 2025
Kihun Nam, Director of the Masters in Financial Mathematics at Monash University, discusses transformative trends in quantitative finance education. He highlights the program's shift toward buy-side skills driven by Melbourne's superannuation industry. Kihun details curriculum evolution from pure mathematics to AI and asset management, and the importance of internships for job placements. He shares insights on student diversity and pathways to PhDs, encouraging curious minds to connect math with financial applications.
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Rigorous Quant Training Meets AI
- Monash emphasises rigorous quantitative training while actively integrating AI and machine learning into finance teaching.
- The university also prioritises high-quality teaching through mandatory workshops and faculty incentives.
Program Shifts Toward Superannuation
- The program originally balanced sell-side and buy-side topics but now leans toward asset management and superannuation needs.
- Melbourne's large superannuation industry shapes course emphasis and graduate destinations.
Blend Theory With Practical AI Tools
- Update classical units to show practical properties rather than deep existence proofs for PDEs to suit industry needs.
- Use neural networks and AI methods to solve PDEs and optimal control problems in teaching.